Modern automobiles typically comprise a plurality of formed sheet metal parts which are either bolted or spot-welded to each other to provide a lightweight structure defining spaces for accommodating electrical and mechanical components of the automobile, the passengers, and assorted other objects. Almost all major industrial countries have laws and detailed regulations concerning passenger safety, automobile fuel economy, and the like. Auto manufacturers, therefore, are continually searching for optimum designs which enable them to compete with other manufacturers on the basis of improved fuel economy, additional safety for occupants of the automobile, ergonomically designed passenger cabins, and reduced costs. One design consideration that can help in all these regards is to reduce the number of individual elements that must be assembled to form the completed automobile. This can be accomplished by designing individual elements of the automobile structure to perform a plurality of functions for increasing the rigidity and strength of the overall structure and, whenever possible, contributing to a reduction in the hazards to which occupants of the automobile may be exposed in the event of impacts.
Popular automobile designs now incorporate what is referred to as a "cabin forward" configuration, and are typically powered by transversely disposed engines requiring a relatively small amount of space in the lengthwise direction. Cabin forward automobiles typically have the front windshield inclined to extend quite far forward over a relatively wide dash. While this may assist in providing an overall streamlined shape to the automobile, it poses problems for the designer on how best to support the steering column assembly as well as other user-operated elements such as the brake pedal typically attached to an arm pivotable about its uppermost end.
Brackets used for such purposes should be light in weight but strong enough to ensure that supported components remain in place over long periods of time even when subjected to a certain amount of operator abuse, and must also provide safety to the driver by limiting the rearward travel and/or rotation in a vertical plane by the steering wheel when the automobile is involved in a front end collision. As noted, the cabin forward configuration tends to extend the cowl-end portions of the passenger compartment in the forward direction. Therefore, the steering column assembly bracket must be shaped to be inherently rigid and must be attached at a number of points to the automobile body structure to ensure strong support for the steering column assembly. Preferably, it should also enable control to be exercised over the translational and rotational movements of the steering column and steering wheel in the event of a frontal impact. The known prior art contains examples of the use of a plurality of individual brackets to accomplish these purposes. The inclusion of a number of brackets performing separate functions naturally involves what may be avoidable costs in manufacturing the automobile and perhaps unnecessary weight and, therefore, reduced fuel economy.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,739 to Lorenz et al discloses a U-cross-sectioned sheet metal bracket called a "pedal block", one end of which connects to a portion of the steering column assembly, which between the arms of an inverted U-shape provides pivotable support to a brake pedal bracket, and at one of the arms of the U-shape provides pivotable support to another pedal. However, a mounting strap, namely, a second element, is employed to provide additional support to the pedal bracket. This reference does not appear to teach a structure which would exercise control over the rotation that might be experienced by the steering column in a frontal impact to the automobile, and the inverted U-shape does not appear to provide protection and guidance to incidental wiring.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,571 to Burry et al teaches a structure involving a plurality of brackets which are variously attached to transverse members of the body structure and coact to support the steering column assembly and one or more foot-operated pivotable pedals.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,576 to Hamasaki et al teaches a mechanism which includes guides, each having a generally U-shaped guide surface, between which an impact absorbing plate undergoes forcible permanent deformation and stretching to absorb energy in the event that a frontal impact tends to cause the steering assembly to move toward the driver.
U.S. Pat. 4,738,469 to Ushijama et al teaches the provision of separate brackets for supporting the steering column assembly and a pivotable brake pedal, in such a manner that the steering column is permitted to rotate around one of the brackets under the action of a collision impact force.
Also known are other structures of the type exemplified in FIGS. 6 and 7 of this application, which show respective plan and side views of known bracket structures. The illustrated structures include inner and outer steering member anti-rotation brackets 602 and 604 respectively, which connect to the steering column assembly 700 to the automobile cowl structure 800 and to upper portions of a brake pedal support bracket 900. As will be appreciated, the manufacture, inventory, handling and assembly of such a plurality of separate parts involves time and expense which it is desirable to minimize.
There is, therefore, a need for a multi-function one-piece bracket which is strongly attachable to an internal body structure of the automobile at a multiplicity of points, is inherently strong and rigid, which provides support for a brake pedal support bracket even in a cabin forward configuration, which enables control to be exercised over the translational and rotational reactive movements of the steering column assembly when the automobile is subjected to a frontal collision, and which provides safe support and guidance to the main wiring harness leading to and from the instrument panel assembly and equipment mounted thereto.